Combining Two Distinct Timber Loft Units into One Cohesive Home
In Chicago’s River North Neighborhood a former freight depot turned condominium building along the Chicago River has been a great home for our Clients. When the unit next door became available BHA was engaged to evaluate the potential of combining the units pre-sale, and once closed BHA provided design services to bring the idea of combining the two units together into an actionable vision.
The challenge was simple: to create a seemless experience between the two units, making the home feel cohesive, and to be strategic and purposeful with every intervention. Our strategy was to open the middle, creating a volume which is circulated around containing a library, storage, and a bar (keeping the existing plumbing location of the former 2nd unit’s kitchen).
The result is a home where a discrete guest suite is kept separate from the primary bedroom. The bathrooms in the purchased unit were updated to create the feel of a powder room and hotel feel guest bath, and the kitchen in the existing unit was enlarged to match the scale of the new center space.
Lighting was designed to provide a mix of both direct and indirect lighting to celebrate the timber lofts ceiling and structure, as well as to create specific opportunities for art lighting. The result is a highly sophisticated space which feels balanced and unique.